Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-11-25


In a recent number of Harper's Weekly
Mr.. Curtis discusses the subject Of the cor
rupt use of money to carry political cleo
tions, and the way in which the evil can be
done away with. The decent men of both
parties admit the enormity of an evil which,
as is practically the case in New York city
and in too many Of the ''close" states, sells
the nominations to the highest bidders and
gives the election TO the party which has
the largest purse. The New York Tribune
is quoted as saying that, if the Republicans
have working majority in the next legis-
lature, they will pass a law upon the sub
iect. The beginning of the movement
against this vicious and dangerous practice,
Mr.. Curtis says was made in the attack Of
the civil service reform association upon
the political assessment business as carried
to its worst and eliminating extent by the
redoubtable Hubbell The surest way to
destroy the corrupt machins the article
goes ON TO say, is TO deprive it Of the mon
ey raised upon the plea Of necessary ex-
penses, -
"And this can be done at once by a law
providing for the payment of all the neces
sary expenses of elections by the govern
ment. Mr.. Ivinss little manual upon Ma
chine Politics and Money in Elections in
New York, published by Harper Brothers,
and Mr.. Bishops paper upon the Assess
ments of Candidates, etc, published by the
Evening Post company, are clear and con
elusive statements both of the facts and the
remedy. The Commonwealth club has ap.
,,..s,, ,f.,l.. r.
The Labor party in New York made the
demand for law for public payment of the
expenses Of election one of its "planks"
during the late canvass. Such law pass
ed one house Of the Michigan legislature
last winter. 1t is already the law in Eng
land and Australia, and its benefcent re
suits are unquestionable. Such a law, well
drawn, would at once enable nominations
to represent the real preferences Of the
party, it would deprive the political bum
mers and shysters Of the lever bv which
they raise money for their own advantage,
and it would Immediately abolish the enor-
nous corruption fund Of every election
Moreover by doing this, it would substan-
tially destroy the machine, and leave
proper party organization with only the
moderate amount Of dishonesty which may
be expected in such forms of activity. The
passage and observance Of such law would
be most important result of the move
ment for civil service reform, which is sim
ply another name for honest government
and decent politics.
The Boston Journal, in an article on this
same subject, written since last weeks elec-
tion in New York city, says:
In New York, Chamberlain Ivins's dis
closure Of the inside history of campaign
assessments and the manner in which they
are spent, and the discussion of the scheme
of reform drawn up by Mr. Rice, have pre-
pared the public mind for action toward the
relief Of abuses which are becoming very
serious and menacing The fact that no
toriously unfit judge paid $1l 900 TO secure
his nomination last month, and that another
candidate for judge, who was made of diff
ferent stuff incurred the hostility of the
bosses by refusing to pay an assessment of
S2j 900 levied on him by one of the halls,
shows the magnitude of the evil
The New York Times states that there
were printed for the election in the city of
New York on Tuesday some 50, 000, 900 bal
lots. There were deposited in the boxes
not more than | POO, 600. There were 20
ballots printed for every ballot cast-an
enormous waste, which is one incident of
the present methods. For receiving and
counting these ballots there were employed
and paid by the city 1854 inspectors Of cleo
tions and poll clerks. By the five parties
which had tickets in the field there were
employed under pay in each election dis
trict not less than 4j men, making 30, $40
for the SIP election districts, or a total of
-, PA voters out of total of about 200
900 who We're under pay in the city ON the
day of election. This means that one man
in every five who voted was paid for the
day, either directly by party organizations
or at the nomination of their leaders, from
the city treasury. This involves the dis
hursement Of from two to three hundred
thousand dollars in what may be called, as
things now aIe, the legitimate expenses of
the election, and takes no account of the
very large sums improperly spent for brib-
cry or influence, or absorbed by the bosses
and their henchmen.
These facts give faint idea of the ex-
tent of these election abuses. They explain
the extOrtlonate assessment of candidates |
An assessment 50 immoderate as to prac-
tcally exclude candidates who are both
poor and honest, and makes the holding of
Office possible only for those who are rich
or who expect to work their offices for
their own pecuniary enrichment. The evil
is one toward which public opinion cannot
afford to be Indifferent. 1t can be remedied |
by system of state-printed ballots, and by |
laws providing for publicity of election ex-
penditures and Furnishing bribery, direct or
indirect. The most prolific sources of cor
ruption and extravaganza in elections can |
be reached by law, and election machinery
can be simplified and purified, to the lasting |
good of the community